Miami Women's Swimmers Make 2009-10 Debut This Weekend

10/22/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving

Oct. 22, 2009

OXFORD, Ohio -- Miami University's women's swimming team, defending Mid-American Conference champions, launches its 36th season of competition on Friday with a 5 p.m. dual meet against Purdue at MU's Nixon Aquatic Center. On Saturday, Coach DAVE JENNINGS' RedHawks have a pair of split-squad dual meets on Saturday, at home vs. Xavier (1 p.m.) and at Louisville (2 p.m.).

"This weekend will be a good test for our team," said Jennings. "All of our athletes will have many opportunities to compete since we are splitting the team on Saturday between Louisville and Xavier. It should give us a good idea as to where will are at this time of the season. Purdue is a much-improved team from last year, Louisville is a top 25 team in the country and Xavier looks like a strong team this year.

The RedHawks won the Mid-American Conference championship a year ago at Bowling Green. They've lost several productive seniors to graduation, including Allie Stevens, Aly Schmidt and Malarie Schmidt. That trio and others virtually re-wrote Miami's swimming record book a year ago.

However, the cupboard isn't at all bare for Jennings. Among the 20 returnees are MAC champion and NCAA qualifier Kelsey Vehr (Cincinnati, breaststroke), Kasey Carpenter (Cincinnati, backstroke), Allison Way (Omaha, NE, butterfly), Megan Brunn (Mansfield, breaststroke), Chelsey Bruington (Mission Viejo, CA, freestyle), Sarah Radke (Cincinnati, freestyle) and others.

Senior divers in Kelsey Anagnos (St. Louis, MO) and Rachel Smith (Amsterdam, NY) will step in to replace valuable graduate Melissa Roemmele.

A very talented group of 19 freshmen and transfers will get its chance to shine in 2009-10. The newcomers include hometown star Katie Arlinghaus from Oxford's Talawanda High School, Corrine Bangs (Monument, CO), Ellen Barhorst (West Chester), Stacie Clagg (Canton), Taylor Garber (Riverside), Mandi Grandjean (Canton), Jessica Hesse (Bedminster, NJ), Maddie Kete (Bay Village), Laura Krueger (Cincinnati), Maegan O'Connor (Fishers, IN), Danica Roskos (Pennington, NJ), Stacia Schacter (Atlanta, GA), Leah Thornton (Helena, AL), Molly Tyler (Birmingham, MI), Jenny Warmolts (Upper Arlington), LISA WERWINSKU (Canton) and Bekka Westrick (Fairfield). Transfers CLAIRE DICKMAN (Edgewood, KY) and Brittney Rohr (Dayton) also will compete for the RedHawks.